Zelensky predicts ‘turning point’ this winter, calls for more weapons

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that he believes this winter will be a “turning point” in the country’s war with Russia, following a series of military successes this week.

“I believe that this winter is a turning point, and it can lead to the rapid de-occupation of Ukraine,” Zelensky said at the 17th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy. 

The Russian defense ministry said on Saturday that it had pulled its forces out of several cities near Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, after Ukrainian forces made significant advances in the region over the last week. 

The Ukrainian president also called for more military support from its allies, noting that “if we were a little stronger with weapons, we would de-occupy faster.”

The Biden administration announced on Thursday that it will be sending $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine and other countries at risk of Russian aggression, as well as an additional $675 million to Ukraine in weapons assistance.